NYC’s most anticipated transit project, the Interborough Express (IBX), would finally bring easier transportation service between Queens and Brooklyn, connecting 20 neighborhoods between both boroughs–though while construction hasn’t even started yet, they’re already making changes to the proposed route.
Originally, the 14-mile IBX was supposed to run street-level along a portion of Metropolitan Avenue and 69th Street, abiding by NYC’s 25 mph speed limit and likely getting stuck in traffic. Now, however, the MTA says they’re instead looking to run the train along an existing line underneath All Faiths Cemetery in Queens’ Middle Village neighborhood.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber stated how the subterranean route beneath the cemetery is underutilized and is currently only used by a freight train once per day. The new proposal would instead turn it “into something which is transformative for so many New Yorkers” and cut the trip between Bay Ridge and Jackson Heights by five minutes compared to if the tram had to share right-of-way with vehicular traffic.
MTA Construction & Development Chief Jamie Torres-Springer added a press conference:
It’s a huge deal. It means we can operate so much more efficiently throughout the whole thing. We can run faster, that means more trains, it means more passengers, it means shorter durations for the whole trip. All of this is unlocked by this, so it’s a great opportunity and that’s why we’re pursuing it.
Officials have spoken with cemetery leaders and have decided the new route is feasible in both an engineering and financial perspective. On Tuesday, October 29th, the MTA released a Request for Proposals to solicit consultant bids to begin the preliminary engineering phase, which is expected to take approximately two years.
Once completed, the IBX would connect neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens to 17 subway lines, 51 current bus routes, and the Long Island Rail Road at the East New York Station, servicing 900,000 residents and 260,000 employees who work in the affected areas.
Moreover, the project will significantly reduce travel times within and between the two boroughs, bringing the trip down to the 30-minute range compared to the current hour plus trip by way of Manhattan.
Video of the proposed IBX route can be seen below:
Beyond the IBX, a network of protected bike lanes is also en route to connect Queens and North Brooklyn, and the Gateway Tunnel is also in the works to connect NY and NJ.